Head protector and temple guard for baseball players



Aug. 19, 1952 R. MccQY 2,607,036

HEAD PROTECTOR AND TEMPLE GUARD FOR BASEBALL PLAYERS Filed Dec. 9, 1949 INVENTOR. ROBERT Ms Coy Patented Aug. 19, 1952 Um TE {STATES FATE 'FFicE HEAD PROTECTOR AND TEMPLE GUARD FOR BASEBALL PLAYERS V RobertMcCoy, New York, N. Y.

- 1 Application December 9, 1943, Serial No. 132,060

This invention relates toa protective device for the heads of baseball players, particularly those engaged in batting.

A player engaged in batting is subjected to the danger of being struck on the head and severely injured or even killed by a pitched .ball travelling at such speed that. the player does not have time to move'outof its path. -:'It .has been found that the head areas most vulnerable to such injury because of their location are the sides of the head above the ears, the temples and the uppercheek bones immediately below'the temples, which criticaL-areas also are the ones seriously injured most. easily.

' .One object of the invention therefore is to provide a head protective device including means to protect each. of saidcritical head areas.

Another object .of the invention is to construct said device so that it can be secured in place on the head over the regular baseballcap and removed therefromeasily and quickly.

A further object of the invention is to constructsaid device so that it can be worn comfortably on heads of a wide variety of sizes.

Still another object of the invention is to construct said device so that the temple and cheek bone guards are, adjustable relative to the remainder of the device so as to provide for the same-being moved out of the'line of vision of the several wearers while still being positioned to provide maximumprotection.

"For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, ref: erence will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are moreparticularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure: H

Fig. 1 is a perspective view on a reduced scale of the device in place on a'wearers head.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view' of the device with a certain forehead strap thereof .stretched so as to'position the other members for clearestlillustration of their construction.

Fig. 3 is a'front view of the device with the protective members thereof positioned parallel to one another.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of-the device positioned as in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional viewon line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentarydetailview of a modifled temple guard.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary detail view of another modification of the temple guard.

4 Claims. (01. 2-3) r 2 Q i Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of the invention. Fig; 10 isa fragmentary sectional view on line ll--l0 ofFig.9; 1

The head protective device, accordingto the first form of the present invention shown in Figs.

1 to 5, includes a pair of oppositely disposed protective members 15 connected together by an elastic forehead strap I6, an elastic over the head strap l7 and an elastic behindthe head strap I8, and a hollow ovular bulb-like protector 2i! suspended from each of the members 15 V The protective members 15 are utilized to guard the sides of the head above the ears and each comprises a rectangular block 2] of foam or;sponge ru bber encased, save at itslongitudinal ends, in a sheet 22 of rubber or the like fisee also Fig.5). {The covering sheet 22 has its ends secured together and to sponge 2| b-ystitching 23 .(Fig. 2) or in any other suitable manner such as by staples. I v The straps l6, l1 and I8 all are composed of flexible elastic tape to hold'th members l5 firmly against the sides of variou's lyfsized heads. The foreheadstrap l6 and the behind the head strap IB'each has its ends-inserted between the sponge blocks 2| and the covering" sheets 22, of the members I5 and secured to the'said sheets bystitch: ing24 (Fig. 2 )v .or the like, The over the head strap I1 has'its' ends secured each to one of the casings 22 by "stitching '25.

The ovular bulbs 20 are utilized to protect the temples and the upper cheek bones immediately therebelow and each comprises a hollow bulb of 'rubber or the like. The bulbs '20 are suspended from the members l5'each by a tab 26ofsu'it able material secured to the bulb by vulcanizing.

or the like and to the casing 22 of themember [5 by the stitching .23"(Fig.' 2).

It will beseen therefore that the described de-jvice can easily .and quickly be placed on the head over the ordinary baseball cap and that the members I5 and bulbs 20 will efiectivelylprotect the critical areas of the wearers head. f

In a modified formof the invention shown in Fig.6, the bulb 20 is provided with a small hole to allow the airin the bulb to be expelled therefrom by the impact of a baseball thereon, the injuring force of said impact thus. being further cushioned. I

In another modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the bulb 20' comprises an egg-shaped block '28 of foam or sponge rubber encased in a pair of rubber or like sheets 30 secured together by 3 stitching 3!. This modification is also designed to absorb the maximum amount-possible of the impact on the bulb by a baseballzry;

The device of the invention is adapted for use by all of the members of a team and a modification thereof shown in Figs. 9 and 10 provides for adjustment of the positions of the bulbs 20 relative to those of the members iii in orderthat a maximum range of vision can be obtained with maximum safety by each differently proportioned wearer.

To this end the tabs 26 for the bulbs are provided each with one or more hooks 32 for cooperation with one or more of a longitudinal series of holes 33 in the casing 22 of the member [5.

The bulbs are suspended from the members by means of the cooperating hooks 32 and holes 33 and can be positioned in any of a plurality of positions relative to the ends of the members 15 by engaging the hooks 32 with appropriate ones of the holes 33. 7

Thus the bulbs canquickly and easily be adjusted by each'wearer so as not to limit the wearers range of vision and to provide maximum protection.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myi'nvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is: v

'1. A head protective device comprising a pair of oppositely disposed shock absorbing members, forehead, over the head and behind the head elastic straps connecting said members for engagement against the sides of the head above the ears, and a shock absorbing hollow bulb suspended from each of said members intermediate of their ends to protect the temples and upper cheek bones immediately in front of the ears, each of said members comprising a rectangular block of foam rubber and a cover therefor of resilient material to which said straps are secured and having'a longitudinal series of holes in one vertical surface thereof, a tab secured to each said bulb, and one or more hooks secured to said tabs for engagement with selected ones of said holes.

2. A head protective device, comprising end aligned elongated protective members for engagement/against the sides of the head above the ears, each of said members comprising an elongated block of resilient .material enclosed except for its ends in a sheet of rubber, an elastic over the head strap secured at its ends to said protective members intermediate of their ends, an elastic forehead strap having its ends anchored between said blocks of resilient material and said sheets of rubber at the front ends of said protective members, an'elastic behind the head strap having its ends anchored between said blocks of resilient material and said sheets of rubber at the rear ends of said protective members, and bulb-like protectors suspended from said protective members intermediate of their ends to protect the temples and upper cheek bones immediately in front of the ears.

3. A head protective device, comprising end aligned elongated protective membersfo'r en- & gagement against the sides of the head above the ears, each of said members comprising an elongated block of resilient material enclosed except for its ends in a sheet of rubber, an elastic over the head strap secured at its ends to said protective members intermediate of their ends, an elastic forehead strap having its ends anchored betweensaid blocks of resilient material and said sheets of rubber atthe front ends of said protective members, an elastic behind the head strap having its ends anchored between said blocks of resilient material and said sheets of rubber at the rear ends of said protective members, and bulb-like protectors suspended from said protective members intermediate of their ends to protect the temples and upper cheek bones immediately in front of the ears, said suspension of said bulb-like protectors comprising tabs extended upward from said bulb-like protectors, and means securing the top ends of said tabs to said protective'members so that the position of said protectors can be adjusted forward and rearward relative to said protective members.

4. A head protective device, comprising end aligned elongated protective members for engagement against the sides of the head above the ears, each of said members comprising an elongated block of resilient material enclosedzexcept for its ends in a sheet of rubber, an elastic over the head strap secured at its ends to said protective members intermediate of their ends, an elastic forehead strap having its ends anchored between said blocks of resilient material and said sheets of rubber at the front ends of said protective members, an elastic behind the head strap having its ends anchored between said blocks of resilient material and said sheets of rubber at the rear ends of said protective members, and bulb-like protectors suspended from said protective members intermediate of their ends to protect 'the temples and upper cheek bones immediately in front of the ears, said suspension of said'bulb-like protectors comprising tabs extended upward from said bulb-like protectors, and means securing the top ends of said tabs to said protective members so that the po sition of said protectors can be adjusted forward and rearward relative to said protective'members, said securing means comprising spaced hooks mounted on the top'en'ds of said tabs, said sheets of rubber of said protective members having horizontally spaced holes for selective engagement by said hooks.- ROBERT MCCOY.

. REFERENCES CITED The iollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

